The “CBS Evening News” reported the accusations of sexual misconduct currently swirling around CBS boss Leslie Moonves on Thursday evening, but the program managed to prominently misspell Moonves’ name in the segment’s intro.
“Outside investigators just hired by the CBS board of directors will soon be looking into accusations of sexual harassment and assault by CBS chairman and CEO Leslie Moonves,” said Jeff Glor as the Moonves typo was shown behind him.
The network has not tried to conceal coverage of its embattled boss, devoting choice airtime to covering the scandal which now threatens Moonves’ career.
Last week Ronan Farrow published a more than 8,000-word piece in the New Yorker detailing six accusations of sexual misconduct against Moonves. The piece also accused “60 Minutes” chief Jeff Fager of various acts of sexual misconduct, often while intoxicated at company parties. Farrow also reported accusations that both men looked the other way at misconduct from others.
In a statement to Farrow, Moonves denied wrongdoing, though he did concede to making “advances” toward some of the women mentioned in the piece
“Throughout my time at CBS, we have promoted a culture of respect and opportunity for all employees, and have consistently found success elevating women to top executive positions across our company. I recognize that there were times decades ago when I may have made some women uncomfortable by making advances. Those were mistakes, and I regret them immensely” Moonves told Farrow.
Fager has denied the accusations as well.
“It is wrong that our culture can be falsely defined by a few people with an ax to grind who are using an important movement as a weapon to get even, and not by the hundreds of women and men that have thrived, both personally and professionally, at ’60 Minutes,’” he told Farrow.
As Glor noted, CBS has hired two law firms to look the accusations and there is increasing speculation from CBS insiders and media watchers that both men may soon be gone.
“If Charlie Rose is a precedent, then that doesn’t bode well for Fager,” one CBS employee told TheWrap. “If Fager goes, Les is not far behind.”